It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. I tend to agree with that, and some more proof is that I stumbled upon a great new layout for our living room. We needed to find a way to fit tons of people into our living room for the Super Bowl party we had, and we sort of wanted everyone to actually be able to see the game.

Our first attempt at moving stuff around was a failure, but with everyone already invited and committed to coming, failure just wasn’t an option. That’s when inspiration struck. Move this over here, move that over there, and we had a great temporary remedy. However, we loved having some of the new benefits that our temporary set-up afforded us, thus, I spent an afternoon earlier this week making it possible to make it a permanent layout. We love it!

Our room feels longer, we can still see the television well, and the bonus is that now we have room in the corner to put a bar/wine rack thing. Gooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllll!

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2. MLB Network

The beginning of February marked the launch of the remarkably wonderful MLB Network. I haven’t had much time to watch it yet, but thus far I’ve been able to watch some of the Caribbean World Series and a show called Hot Stove which, obviously, deals with baseball’s hot stove news.

Some of the other programming I have been looking forward to are: Studio 42 with Bob Costas – An interview show with Costas, and the debut episode featured Joe Torre. As well as Prime 9 – A show that looks at the top nine of a particular category. So, the 9 best CF in baseball history, or the 9 best World Series, or the nine best teams to grace a field, etc. They’ll also be showing the Ken Burns baseball doc as well. So, exciting stuff all around.

All I know, is the days where I wait impatiently for ESPN to cover baseball for 30 minutes during the day are over, now I’ll enjoy 24 hour baseball love, year ’round.

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3. Free Ringtones

For so long now, I’ve only had one ringtone on my iPhone. Now, I’m not complaining, the mere fact that I actually have an iPhone is more than enough for me. However, it was still a little annoying that iTunes expected me to pay 99 cents for every ringtone I wanted to make.

Well, all that is over now that I’ve finally found out how to make free ringtones for my iPhone. Thanks to the wonderful world of the internets I can now turn any 30 second song clip in my music library into a personalized ringtone for my friends so I know who is calling. Lots of people have been doing this already for a long time, but I’ve been behind the curve. If you too would like to make your very own free iPhone ringtones then check this out: Free Custom iPhone Ringtones using only iTunes.

If I happen to have your phone number, and you have requests as to what song should serenade me when you give me a call, let me know in the comments.

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4. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

In case you haven’t noticed yet, I’m a nerd. Granted, for the most part there isn’t a very clear distinction anymore, thanks in large part to the fact that more and more people like comic book movies and play video games all the time. However, a discusssion of nerds in culture can be saved for another day.

I point out that I’m a nerd to help make sense of my excitement about the approaching Marvel: Ultimate Alliance sequel, which is expected in Fall of ’09. The original (itself a sequel to X-Men Legends) was a riproaring good time for people who like fun video games, or people who like superheroes. That made it the perfect storm for people like me who greatly enjoy both.

The sequel is inspired by the general outline of a recent event in the Marvel Comics universe called ‘Civil War.’ I haven’t read the storyline myself, but everyone seems to love it. Basically, the government decides that superheroes and metahumans are too dangerous to wander around freely, so after a disaster in suburban America a bill is rushed through that requires all superheroes to register as ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ The resulting fallout has heroes picking sides and facing off against one another, with guys like Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic siding with the pro-reg goverment, and guys like Wolverine and Cap’n America falling on the anti-reg side.

The game won’t follow the comics completely, one notable difference being that you get to decide whether or not you are pro or anti registration, and thus you will also get to decide where many, though not all, of the heroes fall as well.

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5. Brian is finally moving!!

So, after months of possibility, it is finally official. Brian is moving out here to Seattle. By ‘official’, I mean he has actually purchased his one way plane ticket out here.

That’s right, folks, the Emerald City is moving from awesome to awesomer. See that, I’m already using words that don’t exist to describe the collective elation of the Small household. Even Donkey is excited, and with most people she tends to lean toward the anti-social side of the spectrum.

The first three additions to this week’s five things are related to new music. I had gone quite a while without any new music in my life; neither the “artists I’d never listened to” type of new music, nor the “new album from an artist who is already a favorite” type has recently graced my life. Gladly, that changed over the last two weeks with the introduction of three new albums to my playlist.

1. Merriweather Post Pavilion – The Animal Collective

From the first category, that of artists I haven’t really listened to before, I’ve really been enjoying the new CD by The Animal Collective. They’re one of those bands I kept meaning to check out, but the list is so long it is hard to really get to most of the bands on the list. Thus far, I really do enjoy the newest CD, which apparently (according to Brian) is already getting buzz as the best album of the year. That’s right, in January.

Thus far, it is one of those CDs that I enjoy a bit more on each hearing. I find myself at a loss to really describe the music. Perhaps this is because they are hard to describe, it could be the fact that I am starving right now and it is starting to cloud my brain. Alas, either way I’ll just have to leave you with the fact that I do enjoy the CD quite a bit.

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2. Get Guilty – AC Newman

The second new CD I’ve been listening to quite a bit lately is by New Pornographers frontman AC Newman. His second solo effort, it is the first that I’ve been exposed to. Since the New Pornographers are on the same list I mentioned earlier, that of bands I need to check out some time, I can’t offer you a comparison between Newman’s solo stuff, and that of the band’s work.

What I can say is that the CD is a great listen, the kind I can put on repeat and listen to over and over again, which is rare for me. The CD is made up of strong, smart, tight songwriting, both from a musical and lyrical standpoint.

My enjoyment of it will certainly get me to emusic to download his earlier solo stuff, and it will move The New Pornographers to the top of said ‘bands I need to listen to’ list.

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3. Noble Beast – Andrew Bird

Finally, as far as new music is concerned, I’ve been listening to Andrew Bird’s newest release. What can I say aside from the fact that I love Andrew Bird. To me, his music is at once silly and serious, joyful and melancholy, not to mention fun and beautiful… not that those are contradictory like the others seem to be. Also, let’s not forget that Andrew Bird is, like, the greatest whistler ever.

Noble Beast finds Andrew at the top of his game, and I highly, highly, highly recommend it.

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4. Movies With Friends

I add this because it occurred to me yesterday how much more enjoyable it is to watch movies when you have friends over.

Our friends Austin and Danielle came over yesterday to watch Wantedwith us. The movie ranged from completely lame to “this scene should be really cool but it is only kinda cool.” Yet, even though none of us enjoyed the movie, outside of the general sexiness of Angelina Jolie and Common (who was badass, but had far too little time on screen), the two hour experience was redeemed a bit due to the fact that we watched it together.

I guess you could transform that old phrase about shared joy and sorrow to fit movies as well: “Sharing a great movie doubles enjoyment, while sharing a crappy movie halves the misery.” Then again, a few of the comments made during particularly lame scenes actually redeemed them to the point of enjoyment, so it doesn’t even just cut the misery in half, but instead can potentially eradicate it altogether.

So, **raises what may well be the last frosty he will ever eat** here’s to friendship!

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5. Spring Training is coming…

This is the last ‘five things’ in January. Just one more day to go and we will all be residing in the shortest month of the year. And you know what happens in February right? It is of course when we get to utter the four most beautiful words our language has yet formed into a single phrase: pitchers and catchers report.

Pretty soon the time will come when there will be baseball to watch, follow, and speculate on again. Glorious, wonderful, amazing baseball.